Prigozhin's Exile Ends Wagner Revolt

The greatest challenge to Russian President Vladimir Putin in more than two decades conked out after the rebellious mercenary commander who ordered his troops to march on Moscow cut a deal with the Kremlin to go into exile and sounded the retreat, Danica Kirka and Nomaan Merchant reported for the Associated Press (AP).

Photo Insert: Under the deal, Prigozhin will go to neighboring Belarus, while the Kremlin will not prosecute Wagner fighters who took part in the uprising, and those who did not join are to be offered contracts by the Defense Ministry.

The brief revolt, though, exposed vulnerabilities among Russian government forces, with Wagner Group soldiers under the command of Yevgeny Prigozhin able to move unimpeded into the Russian city of Rostov-on-Don and advance hundreds of kilometers toward Moscow.

The Russian military scrambled to defend the capital.

Under the deal announced Saturday by Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, Prigozhin will go to neighboring Belarus, which has supported Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Charges against him of mounting an armed rebellion will be dropped.

The government also said it would not prosecute Wagner fighters who took part, while those who did not join in were to be offered contracts by the Defense Ministry.

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